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ADDRESS 



THE CITIZENS OF NEW-YORK, 



THE CLAIMS OF 



COLUMBIA COLLEGE 



THE NEW UNIVERSITY. 



TO THEIR PATRONAGE. 






^ NEW-YORK' 
1830. 



-^y. 



ADDRESS, &c. 



The first question which demands consideration in reference 
to the University which it is proposed to organize, is, whether it 
be not desirable to secure, for the objects contemplated by that 
institution, the co-operation of a College already established, and 
which possesses large endowments. By united energies and 
concentrated resources, the project of an institution affording 
the means of education to all, without distinction of sect or 
profession, can be best effected. 

Columbia College is a respectable and influential institution, 
liberally endowed ; and she is ready to afford to the sons of the 
high and of the low, of the rich and of the poor, of the pro- 
fessional man and of the merchant and mechanic, every pos- 
sible facility for pursuing any one, or more, or all of the various 
branches of hterature and science. 

The following statutes on this subject, have been adopted by 
the Trustees, and will go into operation as speedily as possible. 

" 1. The course of instruction now existing, and the integrity 
of which shall in all respects be preserved, shall be denominated 
the full course. Another course of instruction shall be esta- 
blished, which shall be denominated the Scientific and Literary 
course, the whole, or any part of which, matriculated Students 
may, at their option attend. The Scientific and Literary course 



( 4 ) 

shall embrace all the studies now pursued in the College, except 
those of the Greek and Latin languages ; and shall also includs 
the study of the modern languages, and such other studies in 
literature and the sciences as may hereafter be annexed thereto. 

" 2. The Board of the College shall form the Students of the 
Scientific and Literary course into classes, which shall be at- 
tended by the Professors, at such times, and to such an extent, 
as shall not interfere with their duties to the classes pursuing 
the full course of study, 

" 3. Persons not matriculated, may with the permission of the 
Board of the College attend the Scientific and Literary course, 
or any portion thereof, paying into the treasury of the College, 
the prescribed fees. 

" 4. Matriculated students who shall pass through the Scienti- 
fic and Literary course, or any part thereof, to the satisfac- 
tion of the Board of the College, shall, on the vote of the Board 
of Trustees, receive testimonials of the same, to be announced 
at the public commencements. 

" 5. The fees paid by each Student in the Scientific and Lite- 
rary course shall not exceed fifteen dollars per annum, for each 
Professor, whom he may attend ; which fees shall be paid into 
the treasury of the College. 

" 6. The Professors of the languages shall form classes con- 
sisting of the matriculated Students, Graduates, and others, for 
the purpose of enlarged instruction in Greek and Roman lite- 
rature ; the fees to be the same, and to be appropriated as above 
prescribed. 

" 7. Those Professors, a portion of whose course is conducted 
by lecture, may, at their lectures, unite the classes of the two 
courses. 



( 5 ) 

" 8. Matriculated Students pursuing the Scientific and Lite- 
rary course of instruction, are not prohibited from professional 
studies or pursuits. 

" 9. Public Lectureships shall he established in the following 
departments : — Greek Literature ; Latin Literature ; Oriental 
Literature ; English Literature ; French, Italian, Spanish, arid 
German Literature ; Chemistry and its applications ; Mechanics 
and Machines ; Mineralogy and Geology ; Architecture and 
Civil Engineering; Intellectual Philosophy; Moral Philosophy; 
Elocution ; The Law of nations and constitutional Law ; Poli- 
tical Economy ; Mathematical Science ; Experimental Philo- 
sophy ; Physical and Practical Astronomy. 

" 10. These lectures, as to the times and places of delivery, 
shall be under the control of the Board of the College, and shall 
be open to all persons who may choose to attend. The Pro- 
fessors may at their option be lecturers, and the other lecturers 
shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees. The lef^*^::v.xiS 
shall fix and receive fees of admission to their respective lec- 
tures." 

This comprehensive course of instruction, the necessity and 
expediency of which have for many years past engaged the at- 
tention of the Trustees, may in future be enlarged. 

But it is urged as an objection to Columbia College, that she 
is a sectarian institution. The unfoimded clamour on this sub- 
ject will be put to rest by the following statutes of the College, 
recently adopted. 

" 12. Every religious denomination in the city of New-York 
by its authorised representatives, shall be entitled to have always 
one Student who may be designed for the ministry, educated in 
the College free of charges of tuition. 

** 13. Any person or persons who may found a scholarship to 



( 6 ) 

the amount of $1000, shall be entitled to have one Student edu- 
cated in the College free of all charges of tuition. This right 
may be transferred to others. And the scholarship shall bear 
such name as the founder or founders may designate." 

" 14. Any religious denomination, or any person or persons, 
who shall endow a Professorship in the Classics, in Political, 
Mathematical, or Physical Science, or in the Literature of any 
of the ancient or modern languages, to the amount of f 15,000, 
shall forever have the right of nominating a Professor for the 
same, subject to the approbation of the Board of Trustees, 
who shall hold his office by the same tenure as the other Pro- 
fessors of the College : the nomination to be made by the au- 
thorised representatives of the religious community, or by the 
person or persons who shall make the endowment, or such per- 
son or persons as he or they may designate ; the -proceeds of the 
endowment shall be appropriated to the salary of^the Profes- 
sor." • 

The corporation of Trinity Church, in this city, endowed 
Columbia College with a property, the present value of which 
amounts to several hundred thousand dollars. The condition 
of this grant is, that the President shall be an Episcopalian. 
The Trustees, by the above statutes, give the same and even a 
greater privilege to every other religious denomination. In the 
choice of a President, the vestry of Trinity Church, or Episco- 
palians as such, have no voice. He is elected solely by the 
Trustees,* and may be a person who would not have been the 
choice of the vestry of Trinity Church, or Episcopalians as a 
body. But any religious denomination, who found a Profes- 
sorship to the amount of $15,000, a mere trifle when compared 
with the immense endowment of Trinity Church, secure for 
ever a Professor of theCoUege nominated by them. And each 



* A respectable Layman, who deservedly stands high in the confidence of the 
community, has been recently elected to this station. 



( 1 ) 

of them has also the right of nominating* a student designed for 
the ministry, to be gratuitously educated in the College. The 
institution, by these provisions, is placed on the most liberal 
footing. 

Again it is urged as an objection to Columbia College, that 
Episcopalians have a majority in the Board of Trustees. But 
the non-episcopal Trustees will testify that no attempts have 
ever been made, directly or indirectly, to render the College 
subservient to Episcopal purposes. Why make this an objec- 
tion to Columbia College, when it is a matter of fact that every 
College in the United States is under the influence, more or less, 
of some one religious denomination, and generally of the power- 
ful and respectable denomination of Presbyterians '? It is noto- 
rious that these Colleges are, at least partially, if not wholly, 
subservient to sectarian purposes. Columbia College has never 
been made to promote Episcopal vieivs. 

What should prevent the contemplated university, how- 
ever it may be constituted, from being subjected to the influence 
of the most powerful or most numerous sect or party in the 
community, be that sect or party what it may. Literature is so 
potent in its sway, and Colleges and Universities are such mighty 
engines of operation on the human principles and character, 
that religious communities always have had them, and will 
always seek to have them, under their management. As 
the Trustees of the new University are to be elected annually, 
by the stockholders, sooner or later the disgraceful strife of 
religious sects, conflicting for the ascendency, will be heard 
within its walls. The quiet of its sacred seats will be inter- 
rupted by the din of political or sectional parties contending for 
predominance, valuable to them in proportion to the strength, 
and importance, and resources of the institution. Hitherto our 
Colleges have not been disgraced and injured by theological or 
political conflicts. The mode of organising the University will 
infallibly subject it to this most serious hazard, and will throw 
into our community a new prize to awaken discord and embitter 



( s ) 

contention. Let the friends of the sacred interests of Uterature 
and religion, and of the peace and order of the community pause 
before they make this novel and dangerous experiment. 

Other objections to Columbia College are, that it is not iden- 
tified with the interests of the community, and that it does not 
satisfy the wants of the citizens in respect to education. But 
this last objection is removed by the full provision now made for 
instruction, in the College, in every branch of liberal science, at 
a cheap rate ; and when the College receives more patronage, 
the fees may be reduced. The former objection is obviated by 
the following statute of the C^ollege. 

''11. The Corporation of the City of New-York, the Trustees 
of the High School of the said City, and the Trustees of the 
New- York Public School Society, the Trustees or Directors of 
the Chnton Hall Association, of the Mercantile Library Asso- 
ciation, and of the Mechanic and Scientific Institution, the 
General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of 
New- York, and such other Societies as the Trustees may from 
time to time designate, shall each be entitled to have always two 
Students educated in the College, free of all charges of tuition." 

The number of city Societies enjoying the privilege of nom- 
inating students for gratuitous education, as well as the number 
of students to be thus nominated, may be increased hereafter to 
any amount, as the funds of the College admit. Can more 
liberal provision for the wants of the city be reasonably expect- 
ed 1* 



* The following resolution which was adopted by the Trustees in December, 1827, 
extends still further to the schools and school societies of the city and country, the 
advantages of gratuitous education. 

" Resolved, That every school from wliich there shall be admitted in any one year 
into the College, five Students, shall have the privilege of sending one scholar to be 
educated gratuitously in the College. The nomination to this scholarship shall be 
made by the Directors or Trustees of the school ; or, if there be no Trustees or Di- 
rectors by the Instructer or Instructers." 



( 9 ) 

It is urged, that the new University is not hostile to Columbia 
College, and will not injure it ; and that, on the contrary, the 
rivalship between the institutions will promote the interests of 
education and science. The supposition is merely plausible. 
It is not supported by facts. There are no reasonable data 
which warrant the conclusion, that two Colleges can at present 
flourish in the city. If they divide its patronage, neither of them 
will rise to a lofty and vigorous growth. Many persons object 
to an education in the city, and send their sons elsewhere. Few 
in the country will place tlicm here, when culle^es are con- 
tiguous to them in every part of the Union. 

Columbia College cannot contend with a University which is to 
enjoy the concentrated wealth, and patronage, and influence of the 
great bulk of our citizens. There is now a deficit of $ 2000 in 
her annual income compared with her expenditures. If the uni- 
versity be established, what will she be compelled to do ? Pre- 
cisely what Episcopalians will have no cause to lament — what 
those who accuse her of sectarian views should be the first to 
prevent. She must become in fact, what she is now only by in- 
jurious imputation, an Episcopal college, devoted to Episcopal 
views. Her language to Episcopalians must be — We have 
opened our doors to all sects and parties, and made every hall 
of our sanctuary accessible to all — Our offer has not been heed- 
ed — A rival institution diverts from us that support of the com- 
munity which we imperiously need — We have no alternative 
but to cast ourselves on your patronage and bounty — Give us 
more means, and we will exhibit in our institution the happy 
union of religion and learning — religion in that form approved 
by your judgments, sanctioned by your consciences, and dear to 
your best feelings. — Can it be supposed that such a [call, ad- 
dressed to the sober sense, the religious attachments, and the 
excited feelings of the respectable and wealthy body of Episco- 
palians in this city, will not be answered by liberal endowments 
and contributions which will enable Columbia College to do all 
which, as an Episcopal college, she can possibly desire 1 The 
citizens of New- York have now an opportunity to prevent for 
ever Columbia College from being thus devoted to sectarian 
purposes, and to make her emphatically a city College, 



■yr 



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( 10 ) 

Under these circumstances, is it possible that this well-judging 
community will divert their resources and strength from a Col- 
lege which offers to do all which they want done — which places 
every sect and party on the most liberal footing ? Can it be sup- 
posed that the Corporation of this city will listen to the demand, 
from any association of individuals, for an endowment for an 
university, and will grant them the Alms-house, which is want- 
ed for so many valuable civil purposes? If, before the present 
excitement on the subject of an university, the question had been 
asked — Has the Corporation of the city the right to establish or 
endow a college or university 1 — not an answer would have be6n 
heard in the affirmative. Founding and endowing colleges and 
universities belong to the Legislature and to the Regents of the uni- 
versity, and not to the Corporation of the city of New- York. They 
will surely hesitate to enter on this unauthorised and perilous field 
of legislation. Suppose they endow an university in compliance 
with the wishes of a certain portion of their constituents — -Will 
they not commit injustice to others ? The friends of Columbia 
College are no insignificant part of the ' community. The 
numerous sect of Roman Catholics conduct education entirely 
in institutions of their own. Their respectable and zealous 
Bishop is now in Europe soliciting funds for founding a college' 
in this city. They therefore have declined to unite with the pro- 
posed institution. Injustice will be done to all these, and to 
other sects and classes of persons who may establish colleges or 
schools, if the Corporation of the city should patronize, by 
grants of money or of buildings, the new university. 

Every thing which the city requires as to the higher objects of 
education, can be afecomplished in the most judicious, effectual, 
unexceptionable, and liberal manner, by an institution which of- 
fers for this purpose her venerable and well endowed establish- 
ment ; with a Board of Professors of distinguished talents tiiii 
attainments, and long tried experience, and with a President 
whose strong intellect and powerful energies and zeal will be de- 
voted to her interests. 

Jfm-Ywh, January 18, 1830, 



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CONGRESS 




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